Creel



H. F. BURTON June 12, 1934.

CREEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 24, 1930 /Z'Z'ozrzze a:

June 12,1934. RBURTON 1,962,681

CREEL Filed March 24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 12, 1934 PATENT OFFICE CREEL Hugh F. Burton, Providence, R. I., assignor to Universal Winding Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 24,

14' Claims.

This invention relates to creels for holding cops, cones and other forms of packages of thread, yarn and the like to deliver the strands in multiple in various transfer processes of the textile art.

One object of the invention is to provide a creel having improved means for supporting the cops,

.cones or packages to adapt the strand material to be drawn oil? over the end thereof at a high rate of speed without ballooning and with a .tension on all of the ends. I Another object 01 the invention is to'provide a creel in which the supplies are arranged in close .association to economize in space while permitting easy access tothe packages and their ends in doffing, re-creeling and piecing up.

Another object of the invention is to provide a creel of the type indicated having tensionmeans arranged in close association with the packages to further economize in space and facilitate the threading up of the strands. H

Another. object. of the invention is to'provide a creel from which the material may be-delivered at a high rate of speed without danger of the strand dragging or'catching on the end of the cop tube or thread-carrier on which the package is wound. v

Furtherjobjects of the improvement are set forth .in the following specification which describes a preferred form of construction 01' the invention, by way of example, as illustrated by v the accompanying drawings. 'In the drawings:

Fig; 1 is aside view of a portion of the improved creel showing a plurality of supply cops or cones mounted thereon;

Fig.2 is an end view of the same; Fig. 3 is aplan view showing a pair of the supply-holders with one or them illustrated in section on its longitudinal axis;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the cone-holder showing.its method of support; 1 Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cone-holder removed from its arm or support; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the strand-guiding Y tube or quill through which the thread teed axially of the cone-holder.

It is to be understood that the term "thread as used in the specification and claims is intended to designate any kind of strand material,

and that the term cone" is employed for convenience to indicate broadly any type of supply package.

The present improved creel may comprise a framework of any preferred construction and, as herein illustrated, it is composed of vertical posts ported on wooden strips or skids 4. The uprights 2 may consist of rods or pipes and at their upper ends are clamps 6 which connect them to horizontal struts or ties 7. As herein shown the clamps 6 are secured in place on both the verbolts 8.

The supply-holders which form one feature of improvement of the present invention are mounted on brackets 10, and for the sake of compactness and to economize in the cost of construction they may be grouped in pairs with a 'single bracket supporting two holders. As shown most clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings, each bracket 10 comprises a clamping-portion 1'1 having a V-shaped. notch 12 adapted to engage against the side of the tubular upright or pipe 2 and to be clamped thereto by means of a U-bolt. 9 l'ooped around the pipe and extending through holes in the bracket with nuts 13 for securing the tical and horizontal pipes by means of single parts in place. The bracket 10 has two opposite I arms 14 extending at an angle to each other and substantially radially of the upright 2. At the ends of the arms 14 are annular sockets or hubs 15 into which the ends of the cone-holders 16 are inserted and secured by a novel construction 01' means as later described.

Each cone-holder 16, one of which is shown in 21 disposed in the same relative position clrcum ierentially thereof.. The outer portion of the barrel 17 is slotted to provide relatively narrow slits 23 for receiving a' plurality of wire springs 25 which extend in alinement with the ribs 20 and function for a purpose as later explained.

The spring wires 25 have theirouter ends slidably held in holes 26 drilled longitudinally ofthe lugs 21, see Fig. 3, and their opposite ends are bent over to hook through suitable holes 27 in the ribs 20. The springs 25 are bowed inwardly at 28 to adapt them to project throughthe slits 23 and into the boreof the barrel 17. It will be noted by reference to Fig. 3 that the outer end of the cone-holder has a straight bore at 29 adapted torec'evea tube or quill 30 inserted into its end.

. or hub 15.

holder 16 is inserted into the bore of the annulus viewed in Fig. 4, so

The-tube or quill 30 has its outer end flanged over at 31 2th form a'mushroom-shaped head which overlies the end of the cone-tube c or other carrier on which the thread forming the cone C is wound. The quill 30' is inserted into the end of the bore of the cone-holder 16 afterthe cone C has been placed thereon so that the flange 31 abuts against the rounded end of the paper cone-tube c. The mushroom head of the quill 30 therefore serves as a. guard for the rough end of the tube and functions as an eye or guide for the thread T which draws radially inward from the periphery of the cone and through the quill in the manner as later explained. I

The quill 30 is held in place in the cone-holder 16 by means of the bowed portions 28 of the springs 25 which engage frictionally with its surface. The cone-tube c is secured in place on the holder through the frictional engagement of the ribs 20 and lugs 21 with its interior, andin some cases a split spring-ring 33 is provided as an expansion element to further grip the interior of the tube. As shown in Fig. 5; the split ring 33 is held in slots 34 cut through the ribs 20 and its outer periphery is preferably knurled or roughened to adapt it to bite into the interior oftthe conetube c. l

The base end'of the cone-holder 16 is provided with a neck-like support 35 constructed somewhat in the form of a bayonet joint to provide means for securing it within the annulus or socket 15 on the bracket 10. As shown most clearly in Fig. 5

the neck 35 has an end flange 36 formed with a tapered side 37 and interrupted by a radial slot or opening 38, see Fig. 4. Extending circumferentially beyond one side of the opening 38 is -a tapered or inclined lug 40, the inner side of which is adapted to ride across a. lug or projection 41 projecting inwardly from the bore of the annulus The flange 36 on the end'of the cone- 15 with the opening 38 registering with the lug 41. The cone-holder is then turned anti-clockwise, as that the inclined face of the lug 40 on its flange 36 will be caused to ride across the lug 41 to draw the neck 35 through the annulus 15 to bring the flange 19 against its side. A plurality of lugs or projections 42 are'provided on this side of the annulus 15 to form a threepoint bearing whereby the end of the cone-holder will find a securefit. A set-screw 43 inserted througha threaded'hole in the side of the annulus 15 has a pointed end 'which is tightenedagainst the tapered side 3'7 of the flange 36 to clamp the cone-holder in place with the lug 40 serving as a lock therefor. n A

It has been noted that in the present improved form of creel the strand of thread or othermaterial leads off from the periphery of the cone or supply package 0 and draws inwardly to pass axially through the quill 30 and the bore of the cone-holder 16 and emerges at the base end of the latter. This arrangement provides for locating the tension-devices in close relationship to the cone-holders to economize in space and also adapts them to be supported on the brackets 10 whereby to simplify the construction.

Any preferred form of tension means may be used for tensioning the strands feeding from the supplies and, as herein shown, a plurality of disktension devices are employed for this purpose.

As shown in/Figs. 1 and 3, each tension-device is mounted on a bracket 51 having a skeleton shelf Rad l 46 with a rim of generally circular form,

arms or ribs 47' extend inwardly from the rim to support a vertical-pin or post 48 axially thereof. A pair of tension-disks 56 are rotatively mounted on the pin or post 48 to adapt the thread T to, draw therebetween and around the post. The tension-bracket 51 is clamped to the rearward side of the arm 14 by means of a suitable bolt 52. Projecting from one side of the shelf 46 is a lug 53 formed with an opening in which is fitted a porcelain or like vitreous guide-eye 55 arranged in alinement with the axis of the coneholder 16. The thread T leads through the eye 55, thence draws between the tension-disks 50 and around the post 48 to pass out of the tension-device at a point opposite a hook-shaped guide-arm 56. From the guide-hook 56 the thread is directed along the side of the creel to deliver to the warping-machine or other appara/tus used in the transfer process. The method of operating the improved creel is as next explained.

It will be understood that the cone-holders 16 are permanently affixed to the brackets 10 which support them on the uprights 2, anyv suitable number of supplies. being used on the creel in accordance with requirements and the number of brackets being one-half the whole number of cones in use. In creeling the supplies the cones C are slipped onto the cone-holders 16 after the quills 30 have been removed from the ends-thereof.

20 thereof frictionally engage the interior of the tube 0 and the spring-ring 33 provides a further gripping element-for retaining the cone in place. After the cone C has been placed on it's holder the quill ,30 is inserted through the opening in the rounded nose of the cone-tube c and pushed into the bore 29 to be frictionally retained in place by engagement with the wire springs 25. In applyingthe. quill 30 to position care is taken to press the rim of its mushroom head 31 against the rounded end of the cone-tube c to cover any rough edges thereon so as to protect. the thread from being cut or abraded. The end of the thread T is drawn inwardly from the periphery of the cone-C and quill 30, a thin brush resembling a pipe-cleaner being pushed through the quill and engaged with the strand to threadi't clear through the bore of the holder 16. The end of the strand is then picked up and threaded through the guide-eye 55, drawn around the circular rim of the tensionbracket shelf 46 to lead it between the convex faces of the tension-disks 50; and thence [it is led outwardly around the uide-hook 56 to be drawn along the creel to fee to the warping or other machine. Each supply package or cone is creeled in' this manner and itsjend threaded through the cone-holder and led through its related tensiondevice before carrying it to the warping machine or other apparatus which reels off the multiple ends.

As the thread is drawn off to wind a spool,

or beam the operator or attendant pieces up broken ends in the usual manner, this operation being expeditiously performed by simply threading the end from the cone through the quill and the hollow holder and drawing it into the tensions device. When the thread in the supplies is exhausted the operation of the machine is arrested threads or yarns which cannot be properly han- As each cone is placed on its holder the ribs threadedinto the .bore of the dled on known types of creels of the prior art.

The drawing of the thread radially inward from the periphery of the cone to cause it to deliver axially of the latter effectually prevents ballooning of the strand as it unwinds from the surface of the package. Such ballooning tendency is always present when the thread is unwound from the surface of a non-rotatable supply package and the ballooning increases in extent as the distance between the package and the tension-device or other guide is lengthened. On the other hand, it is impracticable to place the tension-de vice close to the nose of the cone, but with the present improved construction a compact arrangement of the tension-means is secured.

That is to say, the tension-device is placed in.

close association with the base end of the cone and the ballooning prevented by drawing the thread radially inward to feed it through the axial opening of the cone-holder. Due to these provisions the thread may be unwound at a very high rate or lineal speed with the ballooning tendency overcome so that there is no danger of the strand flying out and catching on projecting parts of the creel. Furthermore, due to the fact that ballooning is eliminated the cones may be placed in close relationship to economize in space and render the whole creel less extensive to conserve the time and labor of the operator or attendant.

While thepresent improved creel is herein shown anddescribed as embodied in a preferred form of construction it is to be understood that various modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of the device without de parting from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting myself'in this respect, I claim:

1. In a supply-holder, for creels or the like, the combination of a member adapted for insertion into the cop-tube of a thread package and having an axial passage extending therethrough, and a tubular quill insertable into the supply-holder and provided with an outwardly flaring portion extended rearwardly in an annulus concentric with its tubular portion and of a diameter slightly greater than said tubular portion to adapt it to overlie the rounded end of the cop-tube with-its inner edge in engagement therewith to serve as a guard and guide for directing the thread through the axial opening in the supply-holder to prevent the thread from contacting with the end of the tube as it unwinds from the package. V

2. Means for supporting thread packages on a creel or the like comprising a relatively stationary supply-holder having an axial opening extending therethrough, means on the exterior of the supply-holder for gripping the tube or carrier on which the thread is wound, a quill having -a tubular portion insertable into the end of the supply-holder and provided with'a flarcarrier whereby to direct the thread leading from the periphery of the package axially through the supply-holder and prevent it from dragging on the end of the tube, and resilient means in the axial opening of the supply-holder for frictionally gripping the quill to retain it in operative position.

3. Means for supporting thread packages on a creel or the like comprising a relatively stationary supply-holder formed with an axial passage terminating in a cylindrical bore, means for gripping the tube of the supply package to.

the holder, a quill having a tubular portion for insertion into the cylindrical bore of the supplyholder and provided at its end with a flaring head adapted to seat against the end of the tube on which the package is wound to guide the thread through the holder while preventing it from dragging on the tube, and a spring within the axial bore of the supply-holder for releasably retaining the quill in place.

4. Means for supporting thread packages or the like to deliver their ends from a creel comprising a supply-holder having an axial passage extending therethrough, means for retaining the package in place on the holder, a tubular quill adapted for insertion into the bore of. the supply-holder and formed with a flaring head for guiding the thread therethrough, and a spring projecting into the bore of the supply-holder and engaging the quill to frictionally retain it in place. i i

5. Means for supporting thread packages comprising a supply-holder ing extending therethrough and a longitudinal slit in its side, a tubular quill adapted for insertion into the end of the supply-holder and having a flaring head for guiding. the thread therethrough, and a spring extending longitudinally of the supply-holder with a bowed portion seated in the slit therein and projecting into the interior thereof to frictionally engage the quill to retain it in place.

6. Means for supporting thread packages com-- prising a conical supply-holder having an axial passage extending therethrough and longitudinalribs on its surface for'frictionally engaging the interior of the tube or carrier on which the thread package is wound, said holder formed with longitudinal slits in its side, a quill having a tubular portion adapted for insertion into the axial opening of the supply-holder, and springelements having their ends secured to the ribs on the supply-holder and provided with bowed portions extending through the slits thereof to engage the -exterior of the quill to frictionally retain it in place.

7. The combination of a supply-holder having a body portion with an axial opening extending therethrough, exterior ribs extending longitudinally throughout a portion of its length and pro-- vided with lateral holes, lugs. at one end of the holder formed with longitudinal holes, said body portion also provided with radial slits, a quill having a tubular portion adapted for insertion into the end of the axial opening in the supply holder, and wire springs secured in the. holes in the ribs with their opposite ends projecting into the holes in the lugs and formed with bowed portions projecting'through the slits in the sides of the holder to engage the quill to frictionally retain it in place.

8. In adevice of the type specified, a support- .in bracket havin an annulus formed with lu ing head adapted to abut the end of the tube or g g g having an axial openon its interior, a supply-holder having an axial interior of the annulus to hold the neck of the holder within the annulus, and a set-screw ex-'- tending through the annulus and engaging the annular flange on the neck of the holder to fixedly secure the parts together.

9. A creel comprising a framework, a plurality of brackets having means for clamping themto the framework and each provided with an annular opening, a plurality of supply-holders each having a reduced neck received in the annular opening of one of the brackets and also provided with an axial passage through which the thread is arranged to lead as it unwinds from the periphery of thesupply package mounted on the holder, and bayonet joints between the annular openings in the brackets and the necks of the supplyholders to releasably secure the supply-holders to the brackets. v

10. A creel comprising a framework consisting of rod-like members, a plurality of brackets having clamping portions adapted to engage around the members of the framework, means for clamping said brackets to the members of the framework,;;s' aid brackets formed with openings, a plu- 'rality.- 'o f hollow supply-holders having portions onet joints between the annular openings in the brackets and the neck portions of the supplyholders to detachably secure the supply-holders in place on the creel.

12. A creel having a framework, a plurality of f brackets having clamping meansfor adjustably mounting them on the framework and provided with oppositely extending arms formed with annular openings at their ends, and a plurality of hollow supply-holders having reduced neck portions shaped to engage in the openings of the brackets and connected therewith by bayonet joints to detachably secure the supply-holders in place on the creel.

13. A creel comprising a framework, a plurality of brackets having clamping means for adjustably mounting them on the framework andform'ed with arms provided with annular openings at their ends, hollow conical supply-holders having reduced neck portions at their base ends fitted to the openings in the brackets, means for detachably securing the, neck portions of the supplyholders in the openings in the brackets, and tension-devices mounted on the arms of the brackets in offset relation to the axes of the supply-holders.

14. A creel having a framework comprising a series of rod-like uprights, brackets formed with clamping portions straddling the uprights, clamping means surrounding the uprights and fastened to the brackets to secure them to the framework, said brackets provided with oppositely extending arms formed with annular portions at their ends, conical supply -holders having axial passages through which the threads lead rearwardly from the apex ends of the cones supported on the sup? ply-holders and having reduced neck portions engageable in the annular openings of the brackets with bayonet jointsgj foi' securing them in position thereon, and tension-devices supported on the brackets rearw'ardly of the supply-holders to adapt the threads to draw therethrough as they lead through the axial openings in the supplyholders.

HUGH n 

